… that... dream... 

A dream of me, a dream of tragedy... no matter how hard I tried, it always resulted in a terrible end...

I shook my head, "Nothing is wrong, I'm simply just..."

I... looked around... I'm just worried... 

The sound of bugs chirping was all I heard..."... It really has been... quiet..." I never noticed, but... 

Hasn't it been to quiet? I know I choose a path that had low traffic, but the lack of people at all is terrifying... We should have at least met one caravan, either merchant or military. While it could be said that the quietness could be our luck—...

"Maybe I'm just paranoid..." I tried to comfort myself, but... all I could think back to were the various notice requesting by the Imperial Ruler words that Kou be instigated into the Imperial Magicians and be put in special training... 

"The Shinjii Family will be honored as war heroes of the Empire." The Guardsmen at our residence concluded after a lengthy explanation. I politely declined, as the Empire was to be sure to make sure Kou would be forever loyal to the Empire. 

... I know Kou is special; she could easily turn the tides of a battle if commanded correctly, which was why I wanted to keep her safe. From a future where she would be indoctrinated into absolute obedience for the Empire. The Holy Kingdom would never do such a thing as force indoctrinate a powerful Magician into absolute obedience.

"I... surely they wouldn't keep that sure of a watch on Kou, right...?" I told myself in an attempt to reassure myself... "I... the Magic Potential appraisal only said she was special, she couldn't be that special...?" 

I took some deep breaths... I'm just worried, fearful of change; that's all... 

"... It feels weird waking up later with someone being able to watch the evening periods." I walked out of our tent, ready to cover for Kou's watch period. "Hopefully my worries are for naught; we'll be fine..."

----- ----- -----

Our last night before we crossed the border... As soon as we flee through into the Holy Kingdom, we should easily be able to enter a town as merchants. From the small time I spent traveling and doing business with Roy, I had a few places of refugee away from this war. 

Our camp this time was a small hill. While we would be very obvious with lights on, we didn't plan to keep up a fire tonight; relying on our dried meat and | Water | spells.

Currently Helmsmen was keeping watch with me. While he couldn't see well, I expressed my concerns to have him maintain watch with me for the last night. Though the moonlight did help with the vision problems for Helmsmen.

"Huh—negotiation signals?" Wait...? 

That's strange... there shouldn't be an active battle going on, especially with the current truce to collect and mourn the dead from the previous large battle...? Wait, upon further looking, those signals were also lighting up the camp.

"We're surround..." Helmsmen said... Looking around as well—... "By the looks of it, we're up against the Imperial Hunters. Only they could do something this silent." Imperial Hunter—!...

Now—... the hunters... skilled spies and assassins that excel in all environments, cities and rural. I heard rumors of these shadow hunters, assassins who can cleanly commit a assassination without getting caught. The only country that commits to such a extensive shadow program, the Kawachi Empire. 

One of the hunters in a pure-dark cloak approached us, without weapons drawn . I... felt a strange connection to something; not him, but something... We didn't attack; as attacking would put us an a extremely terrible sitaution of getting surrounded and flanked. "Greetings Lady Shinjii, and Sir Helmsmen... What a wonderful night we have here." A man...

... I took myself and focused... a black cloak; I counted at least 9 on this half of the hill... As long as I didn't show my shards, maybe I could surprise them. Though—these are skilled warriors, could I really count on killing all 9 right away?

"—othing, simply give us the young miss of the Shinjii Family and return and you'll be freed of any treasonous actions." Huh...? I dipped in to hear this?

... give Kou...? 

"If you reject this, we'll simply take young miss Shinjii by force—so I advise you to surrender to us. I prefer not having to fight someone who returned from every battle alive." Huh...? Interesting—though I don't know if he'll return from this battle if we fight...

"You heard; I'll follow your order Lady Tenshi." Huh—why... I mean, I thanked Helmsmen and his loyalty, but... this is... pressuring...

... ... ...

I... took into account both ideas... with the time I had...

... I... didn't care what happened, or what I do, I just wanted Kou to be happy... yet; this was what occurred...?

If there is a god, please... I don't want Kou to live a miserable life as a tool.